Everybody Hurts is a risky episode, the risk being that of transforming The Sopranos into a tearful soap opera. Thankfully, the material is handled with the usual dexterity, lending a special poignancy to the show's events.
The main story is connected to one of the previous season's major subplots: Tony's affair with the emotionally unstable Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra). The romance ended quite badly, and now Tony is devastated upon hearing Gloria has killed herself, as he realizes for the first time in his life what a negative effect he can have on the people around him. Artie Bucco, on the other hand, seems to be completely unmoved by his current situation (divorce and all) and embarks on a new adulterous relationship.
The two plot strands show two friends coping with the difficulties that derive from their urge to satisfy natural instincts, and with Artie's share of the tale being quite familiar, it's Tony's reaction to Gloria's suicide that really grabs the attention. Thanks to a thoughtful script and a touching, nuanced turn from the superb Gandolfini, Everybody Hurts becomes a surprisingly striking reflection on guilt and remorse, unveiling new sides of the protagonist's psyche and fully justifying the show's debt to Greek tragedy. Simply beautiful.
The main story is connected to one of the previous season's major subplots: Tony's affair with the emotionally unstable Gloria Trillo (Annabella Sciorra). The romance ended quite badly, and now Tony is devastated upon hearing Gloria has killed herself, as he realizes for the first time in his life what a negative effect he can have on the people around him. Artie Bucco, on the other hand, seems to be completely unmoved by his current situation (divorce and all) and embarks on a new adulterous relationship.
The two plot strands show two friends coping with the difficulties that derive from their urge to satisfy natural instincts, and with Artie's share of the tale being quite familiar, it's Tony's reaction to Gloria's suicide that really grabs the attention. Thanks to a thoughtful script and a touching, nuanced turn from the superb Gandolfini, Everybody Hurts becomes a surprisingly striking reflection on guilt and remorse, unveiling new sides of the protagonist's psyche and fully justifying the show's debt to Greek tragedy. Simply beautiful.